Simple Cooking: Mixed Berry-Banana Energy Smoothie
By Chuck Sudo in Food on Jul 6, 2010 4:00PM
Although we ride an average of 30 miles a day during the warm season, have ridden centuries and even biked 500 miles in a week (from Minneapolis/St. Paul to Chicago) once upon a time, it's only been in the past 4-5 years where we've truly understood that proper nutrition can positively effect our bike rides. You're only going to get so much energy from country fried bacon before you hit a wall and start dragging ass until the energy bars kick in.
We ride 30 miles a day round-trip from our apartment in Bridgeport to our job in Evanston. A healthy breakfast provides all the fuel we need to maintain a fast pace and get a good workout. Part of that healthy breakfast is a smoothie made from mixed berries, bananas, honey and coconut water. This is a balanced energy bomb of vitamins, minerals, electrolytes and complex sugars that only takes a few minutes to prepare. Consumed 30-60 minutes before a ride (or other workout) it provides enough fuel for your body for hours, without a crash.
Ingredients
Makes 16 ounces
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut water (available in the Mexican food aisle of your local grocery store)
1 ripe banana
1/4 cup hulled, sliced strawberries
1/4 cup fresh blueberries
2 tablespoons honey
4-6 large ice cubes
Place all ingredients in a blender. Pulse blender to crush ice, then run on low until ice is crushed and all ingredients are pureed.